Ichirō Itano

Ichirō Itano (板野 一郎,Itano Ichirō) is a Japanese animator, director, and producer. He has worked in a number of science fiction anime series, especially mecha-themed ones. He created several original video animations including Angel Cop, and Battle Royal High School. He directed on Megazone 23. He also directed on a number of episodes and films related to Macross.

Itano is best known among anime fans for a style of action scene that he developed, usually nicknamed "Itano Circus" (板野サーカス Itano sākasu) or "Macross missile massacre" by fans; it refers to a highly stylized and acrobatic method of depicting aerial combat and dogfights in many anime, particularly the Macross series by Studio Nue and the brainchild of Shōji Kawamori. The animated action sequence technique became famous when Itano used it for the "dogfights" depicted in Super Dimension Fortress Macross television series from 1982.

The Itano Circus is characterized by detailed, fluid shading of the mecha, the close-range acrobatic moves the dueling fighters make in combat, as well as twisting contrails left by fighters and missiles.